1. Field
The present invention relates to a core-shell nanoparticle including a genome-hydrogel and a method of producing the same.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Liposomes are spherical vesicles in which a phospholipid bilayer surrounds an aqueous phase. Constituents of lipid layers are amphipathic phospholipids composed of two hydrophobic fatty acid groups and a hydrophilic phosphate group. When exposed to an aqueous phase, the phospholipids arrange themselves into a bilayer which may form a closed structure like an artificial cell. In a bilayer structure, hydrophobic lipid tails face the inside of the layer while the hydrophilic heads face the outside thereof. Injecting a drug into the liposomes has decreased toxicity and increased pharmaceutical efficacy. Therefore, the liposomes are receiving attention as a particle structure prepared through assembly with polymers, drugs, and antigens.
However, there have been many problems with the single emulsion protocol using a bilayer of water/oil that has been used most so far in the existing process of producing single polymer particles or single lipid particles for use as a carrier in the conventional art. Especially, this conventional method only allows the use of a lipid-soluble polymer, which largely limits a range of available polymers when used for actual medical treatments. Further, clinical adaptations have exposed the limitations of unilamellar lipid particles which are easily decomposed.
Particularly, substances generated when polymers are exposed or decomposed in cells and tissues commonly damage surrounding normal cells or cause side effects such as inflammatory responses. On the other hand, water-soluble polymers are usually present naturally, and thus have an advantage of minimizing an adverse effect. Since water-soluble polymers such as polysaccharides, polydeoxyribonucleic acids, collagen, and cellulose are all present naturally and may be included into cell metabolites, side effects may be minimized upon decomposition of the water-soluble polymers.
However, when water-soluble proteins are entrapped in particles, severe side effects occur upon production and application such as aggregations of most proteins in oils. Accordingly, particles may be formed only at a predetermined concentration of the entrapped proteins. Due to a limitation of available polymers and difficulty in treating proteins, there are many difficulties in application of liposomes to living bodies such as producing immune vaccines based on protein antigens or antibodies.
Further, a nucleic acid-based hydrogel system has come into the spotlight as a new material recently. This system is being spotlighted as a new drug carrier and protein production medium, but core-shell and hydrogel systems both have severe shortcomings to apply to in vivo techniques, thereby requiring active complementary measures. In particular, strategies to maximize biocompatibility and in vivo performance through a minimization of toxicity have not yet been found.